Liquid level controller



Aug. 5, 1952 A. E. IRVING 2,605,782

LIQUID LEVEL CONTROLLER Filed June 29, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1.

IN V EN TOR.

ARTHUR E. IRVING 5, 1952 A. E. IRVING 2,605,782

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: L m r'nmwl J w 4 "n5 w a ll I W I I L I l 1 H ARTHUR E. IRVING Aug. 5,1952 A. E. IRVING LIQUID LEVEL. CONTROLLER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June29, 1948 FIG.4.

INVENTOR.

ARTHUR /PV//VG of the arrows and showing the liquid inlet,

Patented Aug. 5, 1952 UNITED STATES 'ATENT OFFICE I I g 2,605,782 V lLIQUID LEVEL CONTROLLER 7 Arthur E. Irving, East Rochester, N. Y.Application June 29, 1948, Serial 1%. 35,871

4 Claims. (Cl. 137 412) I The present invention relates to liquid feedregulators of a type in which a feed tank is connected to a continuoussupply and in turn ,feeds liquid, intermittently and as needed toanother tank or apparatus in limited maximum quantity and it has for itsgeneral object to provide a simple, durable and dependable apparatus ofthis nature.

Its use is contemplated in connection, for instance, with theevaporating systems of furnaces or other heating units that contributeproper relative humidity to conditioned hot air supplies and theinvention has for a further principal object to provide the regulator asa distinct in dividual unit capable of operating at a distance from andin an appropriate environment other than the hot, moist and corrodingvicinity of the humidifier that it feeds.

A further object is to provide a regulator which, "though it itselftransmits the water or other liquid in controlled quantities and has itsown liquid level to maintain, does so without exposing its own operatingand actuating instrumentalities to moisture and corrosion from within.

Still another object of the invention is to'provide a regulator thatwill feed to a vaporizin pan in small quantities at a time to avoidsupplying a sudden rush of cold water'to the'pan to bring it up to levelall at once with the consequence that the new filling takes time to heatand vaporize again and its moistening function is' interrupted.

To these and other ends the invention resides "in certain improvementsand combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, the novel features being pointed out in 'theclaims at the endof this specification.

In the accompanying drawings forming part "oi the specification:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the interior of a liquid feed regulatorconstructed in accordance with and illustrating one embodiment of myinvention, the cover of the casing being removed and'portions of thetank covering being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinalcentral section therethrough with the cover inplace taken on the line 2'-2 of Fig. 1 but showing certain parts inelevation or partially broken away; I

Fig.3 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1looking in the direction liquid outlet and the overflow; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the rear of the casing showing theliquid outlet and the electrical connection receptacle with plugremoved.

compartment I5 is liquid, sealed at all timm from the tank chamber andits connections as will appear.

r The intake connection for tank l3, say from a main water line orsimilar constant supply, is indicated at lfi and, through .a passage l1,leads to a-valve chamber 18. This latter is in a cavity or bore in thecasing extending to the bottom thereof but closed by a threaded plug I9in which is formed an angular continuing passage 20 registering throughan annular groove formed between the head of plug 19 and the adjacentcasing with a final section of intake passage 21 that delivers directlyinto the tank chamber I3. The top of plug l9 furnishes a valve seat 22in connection with passage 20 for a shut off to the tank chamber.

The upper portion of. the .valve'chamber cavity I8 is also threaded toreceive a watertight gland 23 supporting a vertical guide tube 24 for avalve head 25 that cooperates gravitationally with seat 22 to shut offthe intake when the solenoid is deenergized. This is a solenoid valveand the .valve head is suitably secured to an iron core 26 within theguide tube. A rubber or simi lar head 21 is adapted to abut a watertight cap assembly 28 at the top of tube 24! and absorbs the shock whenthe valve unit is projected upwardly to open the intake passages. This,obviously,

- will occur when the field winding 29 is electrical- 4) and its housingfor the attachment of a All of the instrument chamber includingplug 3|connected with an electric supply source. One lead wire 32 therefromgoes to one bindmg post 33 of a small differential switch 34 while theother wire 35 is connected to a terminal of the solenoid field winding29. The other field terminal is connected by a wire 36 with the otherbinding post of the switch. The solenoid and electric valve it actuatesto retract the same is thus in a circuit controlled by switch 34. Overthe switch and connecting the terminals thereof I have shown a suitablecondenser 3'! provided to prolong the life of the switch contacts and toeliminate static interference in radio receivers.

The tank chamber I3 consists of a larger, substantially cylindricalportion 38 at the end of the casing adjoining a reduced portion 39 nearthe center. In the reduced portion is an overflow and vent pipe 40draining throughthe bottom of the casing midway thereof. Thus theotherwise sealed regulator unit, being usually outside of and remotefrom .the liquid consuming .unit it supplies, any failure of the within.contained .instrumentalities, either electrical or mechanical, thatcauses .the tank. to flood will be immediately perceived .and remedialaction can betaken torestore .the function.

.I-hedischargeorservice outlet 4| (Figs. 3 and 4) .from the tank.proceeds from the reduced portion .39 thereof through the rear wall ofthe casing 10 below electrical socket 3B.

This completes the description of the courseof the liquid flow.

, The tank chamber (Figs. land 2) is provided with and sealed .byaliquidtight cover consisting largely in the present embodiment, of athin, pliable gasket diaphragm 42 which is in turn clamped in place onthe rim of the tank by a partially annular plate or ring 43 and screws44. When so sealed, no moisture can escape into the instrument chamberl4--l5. -Bracket arms 45 and 46 struck up from clamping plate43-support, by screws 41 and 48, a beam 49 that in turn supports switchhousing 34.

The switch is operated from without by a plunger 50 (Fig. 2) which, whenpushed in, breaks the circuit previously described but the tendency ofthe plunger is to protrude and hold the circuit closed thus energizingthe solenoid valve 29 and maintaining it open as in Fig. 2. Butcontacting'with the plunger or in position to contact therewith whenraised is a spring arm 5| fulcrumed onthe bottom of the switch housingand resting at its free end centrally on diaphragm 42. A free floatingb'all float '52 contained in the tank 38. rises with .the liquidleveland whenxthat level reaches the maximum .desired, thetball thrustsagainst the diaphragm and -displaces it upwardly. Thislocalized'pressure by the float" is 'suflicient, such as its buoyancy,to raise spring arm 5l,;.depress plunger 50 and break the circuit at theswitch. Hence the solenoid valve is'de'energized, drops by gravity toits seat. 22 and cuts 'off'the intake flow which 'isz-notxrestoreduntil. suiiicientv liquid has been fed through outlet 4! to repeattheicycle. In the figures, the mechanism is shown in thetank fillingposition just before the controlpoint deenergizing the solenoid valve)is? reached.

The tank portion 38,-.above described as substantially cylindrical, ispreferably'provided with .vertical fins -53 (Fig. 1) on its'wallstoreduce frictional contact and render .the guides which they furnishself-clearing by the movements of the ball so that there will be notendency for the latter to become stuck though it is held in .in theregulator can be predetermined and installation instructions can statethat such is, say, 1 inches below the case top with the cover removed.It'will also be noted that this working level can be. made to roughlycoincide with the desired level in the controlled vessel, such as avaporizing pan, at the time of installation by raising or lowering theregulator. Close adjustment of fluid level can then be effected by meansof screws 41 and 48 (Fig. 2) which, when loosened, permit the pivotingof beam-49 about screw 48 and the raising or lowering .of the beambecause of an enlarged hole 55 (Fig. 2) in the latter behind screw 41and clamp washer 56. This varies the amplitude of switch controlling armEI and hence the degree to which the diaphragm must be flexed todeenergize the solenoid valve and allow it to drop to .closed position.

In the event .of electrical failure the valve remainsclosed and there isno flow. ..In the event of mechanical failure the liquid level will riseand the .liquid will overflow as described. Moreover, it will benotedthat the valveis either fully open or fully closed so that no throttlingaction occurs.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment and use orapplication of my invention, itwill be obviousto those skilled in theart that various changes and modifications may be made-therein and otheruses will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

.I claim as my invention:

.1. In a liquid feed regulator, the combination with a casing interiorlydivided into a tankchamberv and an instrument chamber liquid sealed.therefrom' and disposed above and beside the same, and inlet anddischarge passages connected with the tank chamber, of a normally closedgravity operated solenoid valve controlling the intake passage andhaving its'field winding located in the instrument chamber, part ofwhich latter is defined by a'closure for'the tank chamber embodying aflexible diaphragm. an electric circuit connection to the casingincluding the solenoid field winding, a normally closed switch in saidcircuit mounted on :the tank chamber closure and embodying a breaker armcooperating with and contiguous to the diaphragm, and-a float in thetank chamber of sufficient buoyancy to displace the diaphragm by .ityclosed valve in the valve chamber also extending into theinstrumentchamber, electrical means in the instrument chamber for opening thevalve including a normally closed switch having a breaker armcooperating with and contiguous to the diaphragm, and a float in thetank chamber of sufiicient buoyancy to displace said diaphragm bylocalized pressure, operate the breaker arm and open the switch when theliquid in the tank reaches a predetermined. level.

3. A liquid level controller comprising, in combination, a unitarycasing, a top wall and a side wall dividing saidcasing into a liquidreservoir chamber and an instrument chamber, with the instrument chamberhaving a portion thereof disposed directly above the reservoir chamberand a portion thereof disposed directly to the side thereof, inlet anddischarge passages connected with the reservoir chamber, said inletpassage passing through a wall of the casing into the reservoir chamberand having a valve seat therein lying below said sidewardly disposedportion of the instrument chamber, a vertically movable valve elementnormally movable into engagement with said seat by gravity, a solenoidhaving its field in the sidewardly disposed portion of the instrumentchamber and its core connected to said valve element with the movableparts of said valve element including the core sealed from saidinstrument chamber, an electric circuitin to the side thereof, inlet anddischarge passages connected with the reservoir chamber, said inlet tionof the instrument chamber, a vertically movable valve element normallymovable into engagement with said seat by gravity, a solenoid having itsfield in'the sidewardly disposed portion of the instrument chamber andits core connected to said-valve element with the movable parts of saidvalve element including the core sealed from said'instrument chamber, anelectric circuit in the instrument chamber and including connections tothe solenoid field, a normally closed switch in said circuit and lyingabove said top wall and including a breaker arm, a diaphragm forming apart of said top wall and sealing the reservoir chamber from theinstrument chamber, and means including a float in said reservoirchamber of sufiicient buoyancy the instrument chamber and includingconnections to the solenoid field; a normally closed switch in saidcircuit and lying above said top wall and including a breaker arm, andmeans including a float in said reservoir chamber for actuating saidbreaker arm to open the switch when the liquid level rises to a level. I

24. A liquid level controller comprising, in combination, a unitarycasing, a top wall and a side wall dividing said casing into 'a liquidreservoir chamber and an instrument chamber with the instrument chamberhaving a portion thereof disposed directly above the reservoir 7 chamberand a portion thereof disposed directly predetermined to displace thediaphragm by localized pressure 7 and operate the breaker arm to openthe switch when the liquid level rises to a predetermined level.

ARTHUR E. IRVING.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES "PATENTS Mills Oct. 1, 1946

